Tapestry

Medieval Romance
(kisses)
Lynn Kurland's To Kiss in the Shadows leads off the anthology, but it's the least satisfying of the bunch. Lianna of Grasleigh, a ward of King Henry's, suffers under the cruelty of the women at court, who mock her for her pox-scarred face. When their torment goes too far, Lianna finds an unlikely savior in Jason of Artane, a much-feared knight rumored to deal in the dark arts.

This story is one of a very long series of Kurland's works, and it illustrates some of the problems with ongoing series: references to characters I didn't know and an established but unfamiliar world. Jason is a pretty predictable Medieval hero: dark, brooding, and dangerous. And Lianna is so frustratingly mousy and at times ignorant that I take back every rude thing I've ever said about feisty heroines. Still, Kurland's writing kept the story moving at a fast pace, and I'm sure her fans will be happy to see old favorites. I'd try Kurland again, but I wouldn't recommend this as a place to start with her body of work. Grade: C+

Medieval Romance
(warm)
An Interrupted Tapestry by Madeline Hunter fares much better. When her spendthrift brother disappears, the noblewoman Giselle turns to a former friend of the family, the merchant Andreas von Bremen, for help in raising the ransom. As Andreas and Giselle look for her brother, their secrets come to light, including the sins of Giselle's brother and Andreas' long-hidden feelings for Giselle.

As usual, Hunter doesn't disappoint, everything from her vividly-drawn Medieval London to her characters is up to her usual standard. Andreas and Giselle are real people with real choices to make who understand that there are consequences to their actions. Their world isn't perfect, and their bittersweet sacrifices make their story all the more touching. I normally prefer my romances on the light side, but Madeline Hunter can write shades of gray like no one else Grade: B+

Time Travel Romance
(hot)
Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dragonswan is the paranormal tale of Dr. Channon MacRae, a scholar of Old English who has what she thinks is one wild night with a sexy stranger named Sebastian. But when fate interferes, Channon finds herself sent to Medieval England with a man who's not quite human and not quite dragon.

Initially, I wasn't very happy with this story - Channon and Sebastian fall into instant lust, and one-night stands aren't my idea of romance. But when the scene changed to Sebastian's fantasy universe, I found myself caught up in the derring-do and adventure, and Channon and Sebastian grew on me. I truly enjoy the fantasy elements of Kenyon's stories; once she brings her romance up to the level of her fantasy, I'm sure she'll find places on my keeper shelf. Grade: B-

Time Travel Romance
(hot)
Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning finishes out the anthology. When an evil fairy king tricks Medieval Highlander Aedan MacKinnon into a deadly bargain, a rival fairy queen tries to help him by sending images of Aedan to born-in-the-wrong-time Jane Sillee, a fledgling romance novelist. Jane's shocked when her dreams finally come true and she finds herself in the Middle Ages with Aedan - who unfortunately has been brainwashed into the fairy king's henchman Vengeance. Jane has only one month to help Aedan remember who he is before he loses his soul forever.

At times this is a willfully, exuberantly silly story, with a kitten named Sexpot and a heroine whose favorite expression is "Time travel my ass." But it's also a deeply touching story of love, loss, and faith, as Aedan struggles to become human again. If Jane (Sillee, get it?) is over the top at times, it's all in the name of love. Grade: B

Overall, Tapestry was a very good time with no absolute clunkers. If you're a big fan of any of these authors, you can't go wrong with it, and you just might find some new authors to enjoy.

-- Kelly Parker

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